How to grow your business using TikTok | In The Know Magazine
top of page

How to grow your business using TikTok

​

Lucy Drown

Copied

Mobile phone with tiktok logo in landscape mode.

TikTok is, without a doubt, one of the fastest growing and most popular social networks. Most of the recent trends and memes come from TikTok videos. However, TikTok isn’t just for fun anymore; many businesses are enjoying growth and greater success from posting frequently on TikTok.


Why should your business be on TikTok?

TikTok videos are generally between 5 and 60 seconds long; however, this has recently been updated to 3 minutes. Videos can include music, special effects, text and captions, as well as filters unique to TikTok. Its sophisticated algorithm employs artificial intelligence to suggest what users should watch next, based on their previous views.


Businesses can, and should, use this trick to create viral videos.  It makes sense for businesses to be on TikTok, simply because it’s so popular at the moment…brands are more likely to increase their exposure as a result, making TikTok the perfect platform to push their marketing campaigns.

Still not convinced? Maybe these statistics will sway you:

  • The average TikTok user opens the app more than 8 times a day

  • The app now has over 1.65 billion downloads

  • The largest demographic is users aged 18-24

  • 60% of users are female

  • In 2020, it was the third most downloaded app

  • TikTok has over 3.7m active users in the UK

Now we’ve determined the why, let’s cover the HOW:

  1. My first tip for successful advertising on TikTok is to clarify your marketing goals. This means ensuring that all the content you post has a clear goal and objective. Stick to one message per video, as it can be confusing and ineffective if you try to get more than one point across in a single clip.

  2. Once you’ve signed up to the app, click on the ‘me’ icon in the lower right corner and then click ‘edit profile’. Unlike Facebook and Instagram, there’s no option to have a specific business account, so it’s important that you make it clear you’re a brand/company. Retain brand consistency by using the same profile photo and bio as per your profiles on other platforms. You can also add a link to your store/website in your bio.

  3. Form your content strategy. This is where you need to be creative. Spend time researching businesses on TikTok that are like yours. Determine what’s working for them and incorporate the findings into your own plans and ideas. Don’t be tempted to simply copy them, though.

Here are some examples of content strategies that have proved successful:

Green hashtag

​

Green hashtag

​

​

Hashtags! They’re not just for Twitter; they’re used on every social media platform. Creating your own TikTok hashtags is a great way to boost engagement, as you’re essentially inviting others to react with their own video, which creates content on behalf of your business.


To launch a brand-sponsored hashtag, all you need to do is purchase a custom banner from the ‘discover’ page. Users then click on the banner to watch your video/challenge. Successful hashtag campaigns can receive millions of views, globally.


Hack videos/tutorials related to your brand products and services is another effective content strategy. For example, a clothing brand could provide videos on how to style their clothes, or the manufacturers of a cleaning product could create videos in which they put them to use. Digital marketing companies can excel on TikTok, using the platform to share their social media marketing tips and tricks.


Behind the scenes videos: You can use TikTok to give your followers a sneak peek of what happens behind the scenes at your company. This is a good way to build rapport and connect with your followers/viewers. If you’re planning to release a new product, use TikTok behind the scenes videos to build suspense and engage people before the official launch date.


Paid advertisements on TikTok

In-feed content: With this method of advertisement, you create an advert (no longer than 15 seconds), which then appears in people’s newsfeeds like a regular video. If people like what they see and click on the ad you can redirect them to your website.


Best tips for marketing on TikTok

  • Follow the trends—make sure you’re up to date with what’s popular.

  • Be authentic—You will build a better rapport and stronger following if you’re genuine.

All in all, TikTok is the place to be to promote your brand, whether it’s new or established, as users of the platform are predominantly active and engaged. Remember, TikTok focuses on fun and creativity rather than pressured sales, so make use of other social media platforms, too, for an all-encompassing online strategy.

​

​

​

Want your article or story on our site? Contact us here

bottom of page